ZIFA appoints former Arsenal youth team coach Mario Marinica as new Warriors head coach
HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has appointed Romanian-born British coach, Marian ‘Mario’ Marinica, as the new Warriors head coach.
· Nehanda RadioThe 60-year-old takes over from Michael Nees, who was recently dismissed following a run of poor results.
Marinica previously served as head coach of the Malawi national team, where he guided the Flames to the Round of 16 at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, their best-ever finish.
However, he was later relieved of his duties, with Malawian media widely describing his departure as performance-related.
In a statement confirming his appointment, ZIFA said: “The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marian (Mario) Marinica as the new Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National Football Team, the Warriors, on a one-year contract.
“A highly accomplished UEFA Pro Licensed coach, Marinica brings over 25 years of international coaching and technical experience across four continents — Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America.
“He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Coaching from South Bank University (England) and a Diploma in Management, underlining a blend of technical expertise and strategic leadership.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Marinica has worked with several prestigious clubs and national teams, including Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Internazionale Milano, AS Monaco, Liverpool FC, and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as the Paraguay, Mauritius, Malawi, and Liberia national teams.
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“Under his leadership, Malawi reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 AFCON, while Liberia became the highest climber in the FIFA Rankings in June 2024.
“His track record in player development, match analysis, and grassroots structures aligns with ZIFA’s long-term football development strategy.”
ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi added: “We are delighted to welcome Coach Marinica to Zimbabwe. His wealth of experience, modern football philosophy, and proven results at international level make him the ideal candidate to lead the Warriors into a new era.”
Marinica is expected to take charge immediately, overseeing preparations for upcoming friendly matches against Algeria and Qatar next week, as well as the AFCON 2025 campaign in December.
According to a report by the Guardian (UK), Marinica previously coached youth teams at Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
He managed Haringey Borough in England while completing his coaching badges.
He has held technical roles in Romania, and coaching appointments across Africa, Asia and Europe, including:
Marinica was once a Technical Director at Kerala Blasters in India.
He once worked across Africa in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Tunisia, Tanzania and Seychelles.
At the 2006 World Cup, he helped Paraguay with tactical analysis on one of their opponents.
At the 2021 AFCON, Marinica’s Malawi defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 and held Senegal to a goalless draw to reach the Round of 16.